What is the importance of repentance in marriage?

Carlton McLeod explains in this video that when a husband and wife understand their sinfulness and responsibilities before God and they realize that they both really mess it up a lot, they must continually repent to God and each other throughout their marriage. There must be a constant communication and care shown between a husband and wife.

A repentant heart keeps the marriage in such a peaceful state. In contrast, an unrepentant person will not care about how their actions might negatively hurt their spouse.  

Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV) – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”

I think it's when a man understands his sinfulness and his responsibilities before God and when a wife understands her sinfulness and her responsibilities before God And they realize together that they both really miss it a lot, they both mess it up a lot, and they're very cognizant that they need to keep short accounts with God, and that causes them to keep short accounts for each other. So what it really looks like is an almost constant communication, watchfulness, and care between husband and wife to check one another's feelings. It may seem overdone. You know, quick sea story, when I was in the Navy, I had the wonderful privilege to go on a ballistic missile submarine for patrol. And one of the things I marveled at when I first got there is how the orders were repeated over and over.

It seemed so redundant. The captain would give an order that the person, it would be relayed, it would be repeated by the person who got the order and then repeated back again. And it seemed really ridiculous until you understand that you're underwater. And so every single thing matters. Well, a husband and a wife, it's like that.

Baby, are you okay? Did my words, did you understand the intent in my heart? Oh, sweetie, I totally understand what you're saying. And that may seem overdone to the world, but that repentant heart just keeps that marriage in such a peaceful, loving state. It's when we do the opposite and take for granted, oh, she knows what I mean.

Oh, he understands I respect him. I don't have to say so. Right? It's when those kind of things happen where we begin to see degradation. So I think it looks like very careful watchfulness, love, honor, and respect one to another with tender hearts and wanting to maintain the spirit of the bond of peace.